It’s not over if it’s still around. I’m not saying we shouldn’t move on. All I’m saying is that we should move with caution.
I see kids running around and elderly people sitting in wheelchairs now shopping in the malls. I fear for them. But I know they need to keep their sanity too. And no one more than I should understand this. Now.
In the last 25 months, I’ve had no problems with mask mandates and hand hygiene. But I must say it was a bit of a revelation to me that I would have a problem with social distancing. I thought I could do it. Indefinitely. But though I’m still at it, now, I admit it’s taking a toll on my mental health.
And yet, it’s not like I live alone. And it’s not like I live in a claustrophobic cell. It’s not like I never step outside—to feel the wind or see the sun. In fact, I’m not as isolated as I feel and sound. And yet, here I am, somehow slowly losing my mind.
Where are my superpowers when I need them?
Because I need them now to make people understand that for as long as they stay unvaccinated, the virus will continue to mutate and this madness will persist for longer than it should. Yes. The virus is on its way to becoming endemic but that actually means we’ve lost the battle to eradicate it.
But we are still in the pandemic.
I hear people say Covid-19 is gone. Subvariants XD, XF and XE have just emerged. Covid-19 is not gone. It simply manifests itself a little bit differently now. It continues to rage in different parts of the world. And it’s only a matter of time that we get our turn for another surge.
I hear people say that the Omicron variant is mild and therefore, nothing to worry about. I think we’re being flippant when we say this. I know people who’ve contracted it, experienced very mild symptoms and recovered but due to comorbidities, still lost their lives.
At 10.58 per 100 people, we hold the shameful record of having the lowest booster rates in Asia. As of March 30, only 12 million out of the 65.8 million people fully vaccinated have been boosted. Let’s not underestimate the additional protection boosters can give us in the face of waning immunity from primary shots and previous infections.
And there are scores who still have not found the courage or the conviction to get their first shots. Whether it’s due to ignorance or indifference, it’s still tragic.
Ignorance is a fatal blow to our life-saving efforts. Indifference is an enemy of the state. You cannot profess to love God, humanity and your country when you put pride and personal preferences before public safety and health.
After 25 months, I succumb. I’m not throwing all caution to the wind but I’m stepping out. I’m not letting my guard down but I’m moving on. Please keep me and my family safe. Because it’s not over and it’s still around.